[Question #8566] HSV1 transmission/new mom
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42 months ago
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Hi. I have the cold sore virus (HSV1) and have had it since I was a child from a family member who didn’t know to be careful with an out. I have only had about 6 outbreaks since initial infection and have gone anywhere from 2-6 yrs between outbreaks. I recently became a mother, and I have always been careful around my husband and child. I do not share utensils or drinks with them, and I would only kiss my baby occasionally on the forehead or cheek. I do not take any suppressive medications, and my husband gets tested every year and has been negative with no antibodies present at all.
At one of my child’s well visits, a pediatrician with the office told me that because I get cold sores I should never kiss him anywhere ever, that I should be carful even when holding and hugging him, and that I should was my hands very frequently even when I do not have an outbreak because of viral shedding. This has caused a great amount of stress for me as a new mom. I worry and find myself washing my hands excessively after everything I do that involves my mouth such as eating, drinking from a cup, putting on chapstick, brushing my teeth, washing my face, itching an area around my face/mouth. I won’t even let my husband wash utensils I use anymore. If my clothing touches my face, I worry and change it. If my child accidentally hits or touches my mouth/face to point to my features, I worry and wash his hands. If his clothing touches my face/mouth, I worry and change it. I never lived my life this way before being told this.
Can you please tell me if any of this is even necessary if I DO NOT have a cold sore? Is it enough to ensure that I do not kiss him on the mouth, share drinks and utensil with him? If I eat something with my hands (taco, burger, etc.) and pass food to him with my hands without washing them, could I be shedding the virus and spread it to him even if I do not have an active cold sore? Do I really need to wash my hands anytime I touch my lips even without an outbreak?
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Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner
42 months ago
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OMG that is such terrible and inaccurate information. I cannot believe that someone actually told you that (of course I do believe you)
You are going to have to really work on yourself to change this around and start living a more normal life. You need to stop doing hand washing in the way you are doing it.
First of all, the kind of kiss we give a baby is not the kind of kiss that transmits herpes, when no cold sore is present. You can most certainly kiss your baby, and if the herpes scares you too much, kiss him his little head or cheek - the skin in these locations is too thick for virus to penetrate. And if you aren't having a cold sore, the skin on the outside of the lips is too thick for virus to be shed. The worry is the kind of kiss that happens between adults - a more open mouthed kiss.
Don't have a moments worry about touching food and then touching him.
I've heard a lot of crazy stuff on this forum, but this is the craziest, most destructive thing I've heard so far.
Terri
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42 months ago
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Terri, thank you so much for your reply. I am so unbelievably relieved to hear this! I have been living this way for months, too afraid to ask any other professional out of fear they would reiterate the same negative information. To follow-up on the information you provided. Do I need to resort to this level of caution when I do have an outbreak? For example, if I have a sore and my child accidentally touches the area or touches my fork/cup then touches a mucosal area of his face, could he get it this way? Can it spread from clothing/hand contact if I have an active outbreak? Would taking taking anti-virals when I do have an outbreak lessen this risk? I do recall the pediatrician saying if I had a sore I shouldn’t sing to him due to the possibility of spit getting onto him. I would really just like to be as vigilant as possible to lessen the risk of my child enduring what I did as a young child/teenager. Thank you so much again for the information. You have literally changed my life today.
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Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner
42 months ago
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If you have a cold sore and your child accidentally touches the area, that is a very low risk. I wouldn't worry about your child touching utensils or cups. You will not spread it from clothing or hand contact. Taking antivirals at the first sign of an outbreak would certainly shorten the outbreak and reduce the risk of transmission, yes. And sing away! That is so disturbing to me that you would be told them.
Remember, protecting your child from getting cold sores when they a little older also means that if they receive oral sex as a teenager or adult from someone infected with oral HSV 1, their first infection could be genital. It's truly a mixed bag, isn't it?
Terri
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42 months ago
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Thank you, Terri. Yes, I couldn’t agree more. I plan on being very transparent with him regarding these matters.
So just for further clarity for my piece of mind moving forward as I now unfortunately have quite a few bad habits to change, and I hope this post will help someone else if needed.
Even for things that involve my saliva such as brushing my teeth, I do not need to wash my hands with soap and water and can simply rinse them if I do not have a sore? Last question, if I take a bite of something and then give him a bite, is that generally safe? Or is it safer just to share with my hands?
I do apologize for all of the seemingly repetitive questions. As you can imagine, this has really affected the way I have lived my life as a mom, and I just want to make sure I am navigating the areas that have been a source of stress for me.
I can’t thank you enough again for how helpful and informative you have been.
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Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner
42 months ago
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It is correct, you don't need to wash your hands with soap and water after brushing your teeth. If you have no cold sore, it is OK to share food with your child
I can tell that this has impacted your life greatly and I hope you can continue to address these issues and get back to normal
Terri
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42 months ago
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Oh, I also wanted to know, what is the risk of transmitting an infection to another area of my body in the early stages before I even realize I am having an outbreak? Like for example, if I touch my lip when there is no visible sore yet, just tingling and touch my nose, eyes, or genitalia?
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Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner
42 months ago
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The risk of transferring it to another part of your body is during the first four months of having a new infection. After that the risk is incredibly small.
Your lip and your nose are in the same nerve group, as are your eyes. So if you have an outbreak in any of those locations it is not because YOU moved the virus around, it is because the virus chose to travel on a different nerve to get to the surface of the skin.
Terri
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